Return to Tashbaan
by lickitysplit
Summary: Set after HHB. Chapter 4 now posted: Lucy is now a prisoner of Calormen. As she struggles to understand the events leading up to her capture, she must not only find a way of escape for herself, but another as well.
1. The Task Is Set

**Story Summary:** One of the monarchs must travel to Tashbaan to discuss trade agreements. When Lucy is the one chosen to go, she finds her adventure in Calormen is not what she had expected. Golden Age fic, set after HHB.

**A/N:** My hiatus is over, and now I must try to work my dormant short story muscles, so I apologize in advance for any bumpiness as I find my bearings again. Much thanks to Val Evenstar, Dearheart, and H Max Marius for the encouragement and advice in getting this together. Comments are always greatly appreciated.

* * *

**Chapter One: The Task Is Set**

Lucy was happy. It was the first day of the new month, and the girl—who was not a girl anymore, not really, she was a young woman now—always looked forward to the first of the month. Lucy was an early riser, like her brother Edmund, and so was not surprised to find him sitting in their private lounging room despite the early hour. He was sipping a steaming drink and sorting through of a stack of papers. He looked up as Lucy entered. "Good morning," he said, a bit sleepily.

She looked at his stack of papers and raised an eyebrow. "Is that all for today, then?" she asked, pouring herself a cup from the teapot next to Edmund.

"Unfortunately," he replied, offering the sugar bowl. "I have quite a bit of business to go over, with the compensation from the shipbuilders and the disputes among the Naiads and the Bears. I'm afraid this may be a long one."

"I don't mind that at all," said Lucy, blowing into her cup.

Edmund sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You may not, but I spent most of yesterday hearing an earful from the Dwarves, and so things that had needed my attention are becoming a bit neglected." He began to shuffle through his papers again. "Thank goodness for Tumnus. He's the one who found the old cases for me."

Lucy nodded, only half listening. Her mind was wandering as she thought about the meeting ahead. The two kings and two queens of Narnia were so busy dealing with the affairs of their rather large country that it was rare for all four of them to be at Cair Paravel at the same time, except for very important events. They had relied on messengers and such to communicate with one another about this or that, and things had run relatively smoothly until one awful mix-up of the messages which resulted in the new horse stable being erected on the wrong side of the castle and a Galman dignitary arriving for a state visit to find not even one of the monarchs at home.

Since then, the High King Peter decided that it was extremely important for them to meet regularly, so they had agreed that on the first of every month, all four would spend the better part of a day going through all of the goings-on in Narnia. Lucy had especially loved the idea, having had difficulty remembering the last time all four of them had spent more than an hour or two together. The best part was that after the meeting, it had become their custom to eat a private supper, just the four, and have a proper visit like siblings should. Their monthly ritual had quickly become a highlight of Lucy's life at Cair Paravel.

Lucy took breakfast with her brother, and they chatted together as they walked down to the meeting room. Susan joined them very soon thereafter, but they all knew Peter would be the last to arrive. He was a champion sleeper, and could sleep anywhere, anytime, and for as long as time allowed.

As they expected, Peter joined them at the stroke of ten. They dutifully rose when the High King entered, and he kissed both of the girls before they all sat down together. Peter began the meeting, and they spent a few hours going through all of the updates they had each planned: Peter spoke of the army, and the placement of each division, as well as the status of the Northern border; Edmund discussed the Bears and Naiads, who had finally made an agreement over the use of the trees to protect the cubs; Susan relayed the outcomes of her visit to the Lone Islands and the visit of a prince from the Seven Isles; and finally Lucy reported the progress of the new homes being built in the eastern part of the Great Forest, as well as the plans for a celebration of the anniversary of the fall of the White Witch.

The last task was to discuss the following month's agenda, and agree who would be going where or taking on which responsibility. Susan began reading from a pile of notes from their advisors. "The children are coming on the twelfth to tour the castle," she began. "Do try to be here, Peter: you missed the last time, and they were so disappointed."

"I'll do my best, of course," he answered in a very diplomatic way.

"King Lune is hosting a tournament in two weeks, for the princes' birthday," Susan continued, and looked between the two kings. "Shall I write and say you are both attending?"

Peter nodded, but Edmund interjected, "I'll be attending, although I doubt I will participate in the contests. I nearly broke my leg during the last one."

Lucy frowned, "You really ought to, Brother—you know how Prince Corin admires you."

Edmund chuckled. "Be that as it may, I think I would still rather keep both legs."

"But he'll be in a state if he doesn't get to see you fight!"

"Lucy, please stop badgering Edmund about it," Susan said. "If he does not want to participate, then that is—" And here Susan stopped and turned a dreadful shade of white.

Lucy had been readying her defense against her older sister, but it was quickly forgotten when they saw the look on her face. "Susan!" Peter cried, and Edmund leapt up and clasped her arm. "Whatever is the matter?"

With a slightly shaking hand, the queen handed the note to her younger brother. Edmund took it from her and read with a frown. "It's from the Tisroc," he said. "He has invited us to go to Tashbaan."

"Go to Tashbaan!" Lucy cried. "What game are they playing?" They all remembered their dreadful business with Calormen a little more than a year before. Susan had nearly married the Calormene prince Rabadash, but she and Edmund had made a quick escape to save their own lives when she decided against it. Rabadash had then invaded their neighbor and ally Archenland, and Edmund and Lucy had led the Narnian army to deliver their friends.

"It seems," Edmund continued, "that the trade agreements are about to expire, and we all must meet together to negotiate and sign the new version. The Tisroc is hosting it, because Rabadash is—unable to travel, as he puts it." Edmund's mouth twitched, and rightfully so. Rabadash had refused to apologize for his actions, even when face-to-face with Aslan, and had been turned into a donkey for his evils. Rabadash was able to restore himself to his body, but he was not permitted to leave his capital, or else he would change back into a donkey, only permanently.

"Can we not send an emissary instead?" asked Lucy.

Edmund just shook his head. "It must be one of us. The signature of a monarch is needed to make the agreements valid." His face was rather unreadable; a trait of her brother's that frustrated Lucy immensely. "I suppose it was inevitable. It would be foolish to assume we would never have dealings with Calormen again, or with the prince. They are, after all, a part of this world."

There was a long moment of silence. Finally, Susan said, "I think I would rather not be the one—if that's all right with you, Sir," she said, looking at the High King.

Peter looked at her sympathetically. "Of course, Madam, if you are afraid—"

"I am not _afraid_," she interrupted, color rising in her cheeks again. It was very unlike Susan to interrupt, and even stranger, her voice betrayed a bit of indignation towards the king. "Tashbaan was a beautiful city. But I think it would cause the prince undue embarrassment to have to see me again." She said nothing further. Lucy suspected that Susan's reasons were perhaps a bit more selfish and she was even just a tiny bit afraid, but of course she would never say anything of the sort to her sister.

The High King ignored the transgression and simply said, "You are right, Sister. Your presence in Tashbaan would cause an unnecessary stir. I suppose that King Edmund must be excused from this task as well, for similar reasons. The Tisroc may not be willing to deal with a knight who bested his own son in battle."

Lucy turned to look at Edmund, expecting him to argue, but Edmund said nothing. Therefore, she sat up very straight and said, "Then it seems that this task must fall to me. I will go to Tashbaan and secure the agreement." She looked back and forth between her two brothers, from Edmund's face, still unreadable, to Peter's, which had an uneasy expression.

"Dearest Lucy," Susan said, "are you absolutely sure you wish to go on this mission? Calormen is a country very unlike our own, and you will find the people there and their ways very strange. You must also remember that women are treated differently there, even ones of a noble station, as is ours." Her cheeks were still tinged with color, leaving Lucy feeling rather unsettled. It was rare a thing for her sister to not be completely composed.

Of course, Lucy reminded herself, Susan would have every reason to feel troubled. Even though her courtship with Rabadash had been so long ago, Susan still would not talk about it, and simply pronounce her time in Tashbaan as "that unfortunate business" and quickly change the subject. Knowing this actually gave Lucy a surge of determination, and she smiled at her sister. "I do remember, Susan. If you recall, I was present at the Battle of Anvard, and witnessed the prince's behavior with my own eyes. I do not feel that anything would surprise me after seeing him then." She turned to Peter and said, "With your leave, I will go and represent Narnia."

Suddenly Peter smiled. "Of course, Lucy, if you wish to go, then you shall. But I think I may come with you. It would not hurt for there to be two of us present during these dealings with Calormen. And I must admit: I have grown curious to see the city for myself." With that, the subject was closed, and the meeting continued.

Lucy eagerly counted the days until she would be leaving for Tashbaan. The day after their meeting, she had immediately invited her friend Aravis to visit Cair Paravel and tutor her in the customs and practices of the Calormene court. She also busied herself in studying the expiring agreement and speaking to those Narnians whom it affected—namely, the sailors and merchants who were in the trade. She kept a ledger filled with notes of everything she learned.

Three weeks went by, and the departure date was only a few days away. Lucy began to prepare her things, as well as the gifts she would bring, not only for the Tisroc, but for the other monarchs, most of whom she had met and some of whom were good friends. But three days before they were to depart, the High King began to act strangely. He insisted he was fine, but everyone could tell that something was wrong. Then, two days before their departure, he did not appear at breakfast, and Lucy went to look for him.

She found her brother in bed, looking very pale. "You look terrible," she said in her very straight-forward manner.

"It's no good," he confessed. "Of all the times for me to be ill—and with our trip the day after tomorrow—" But here Peter was forced to stop as he was overcome with a coughing fit.

Peter was still very ill the next day, and after seeing his condition, Edmund pulled Lucy aside. "Are you still thinking of going through with this journey to Tashbaan?"

Lucy looked at him in surprise. "Of course I am! Why would I not? I have all the preparations ready. And you cannot expect everyone else to wait until the High King is feeling better. I'm leaving tomorrow no matter what." Edmund nodded, not surprised at all with her response.

"You are not actually going to allow her to _go_," Susan said to Edmund later.

"Allow her?" Edmund asked. "Forgive me, but I must remind you that she is a queen, and it is not my place to _allow_ our sister anything."

But Susan could not be comforted. "Lucy, alone in Tashbaan?" She wrung the handkerchief she held in her hands. "Oh Edmund, do you not remember what it was like there? How could we forgive ourselves if something was to happen to her?"

"Nonsense," said Edmund. "What could happen to her there? She has an excellent guard and a head on her shoulders. Lucy will be fine." He gave an encouraging smile, but it was just as much for himself as it was for Susan. Edmund knew he could not stop Lucy from leaving, nor would he try—she was just as much of a monarch as the rest, and she had been selected by the High King himself to make the journey. But the brotherly part of him worried, and he spoke in depth with Lucy's personal guard, a Faun named Hyreus, and gave him very pointed instructions to keep her always within his sight.

The day of Lucy's departure arrived, bringing excellent weather for sailing. Susan tried to make a fuss, but Lucy quickly put an end to it. "You are just being silly," she told Susan. "I'll only be gone a few days! If it was up to you, I'd stay shut up in my room and write to you every five minutes." Susan pursed her lips, but Lucy simply laughed and gave her sister a kiss. Then she said good-bye to Edmund and went aboard the ship. Lucy remembered how she would run onto the ships when she was young, dashing among the men and scurrying from one end to the other, examining every nook and meeting every member of the crew. She laughed to herself at the thought of tearing through the ship now that she was grown up. But the excitement that would always cause a flutter in her stomach was there, just as it always had been.


	2. Many Meetings

**Chapter Two: Many Meetings**

As the ship pulled into the Calormene harbor, Lucy waited patiently in her cabin for the captain to come below and tell her that all was ready. When she was younger, Lucy would stand at the bow, waiting for the first glimpse of wherever they were headed, and then rush back and forth to the stern, taking in all of the sights and the sounds and the smells of the harbor. But now she felt it would be undignified to run about, despite her anxiousness to finally get a look at Tashbaan for herself: after all, she was a queen, a representative of Narnia, and a child no longer.

So instead, Lucy checked over her things, which had been neatly packed away when land was sighted, and checked her image in the little mirror that Susan had lent her. Lucy was not one to spend hours gazing at herself, fixing this or that, but she felt that Susan would have never forgiven her if she had been received at the palace with tangled hair or a button out of place. Once sure that all was aright, she sat in the little chair in her cabin and looked over her notes.

Eventually there was a quick rap on the door, and after calling to enter, Hyreus stepped inside, followed by Paravir, the captain. "Your Majesty," he said, "we have arrived, and there is a party ready to welcome you. We may leave whenever you are ready."

Very suddenly, Lucy felt her stomach flutter, so she simply nodded at the captain. He bowed and left. Lucy stood and swept her eyes around the room, checking her things one last time. "My Lady?" Hyreus asked.

"Yes, I am ready." They walked out of the cabin and out onto the main deck of the ship. The rest of her party was waiting there for her: Nola, a dwarf who served as her lady-in-waiting; Protis, a Faun who was serving as Lucy's scribe; and three Satyrs, a Hawk, and two large Leopards, who were the queen's guard.

An uncomfortable looking Calormene was there to greet them. He bowed to Lucy and gave her a very long greeting that left Lucy more than a little confused. But she kept a smile on her face and thanked him very much. He led her to a waiting litter. Lucy remembered Aravis saying that important persons were carried in such a fashion, and she immediately understood Susan's embarrassment when she had relayed the story. However, the young queen also understood the terrible insult it would be to refuse, so she graciously (albeit rather awkwardly) climbed inside.

Riding in the litter was not as terrible as she had feared. Of course, traveling this way felt beyond strange to Lucy (for in Narnia, they would never consider being carried about by servants). But inside were soft, comfortable pillows and even small boxes of fruits and candies. The young queen tucked herself in as gracefully as she could and began to take in all the strange sights and smells around her.

Lucy peered out of the curtains to take in the city as they approached. She wondered briefly at a row of blue flags that formed a trail around the city as far as she could see in both directions. But she did not have long to dwell on the strange sight, for Tashbaan was unlike anything in Narnia. The buildings were built so close together that they seemed to be leaning on each other. The streets were clogged with people and merchants and carts of goods. There seemed to be no design to the arrangement of the streets, but the people maneuvered easily despite the massive crowds. Lucy gazed upwards and marveled at the buildings that seemed to go up forever. Cair Paravel had many stories, of course, but not any other buildings in Narnia. And the homes were built a comfortable distant apart: the people of Tashbaan seemed to live on top of each other. The smell of food from the homes and the street merchants and the sounds of horses and people surrounded Lucy completely; so completely, in fact, that she had to lean back and close her eyes to escape the feeling of pressure around her.

The colors were unlike anything Lucy was used to as well. In Narnia, the forests were lush and green and the waters were clear blue and the beach beside the castle was a pale yellow that was almost white. As the sun beat against the city, the light reflected off of the gold buildings and mustard colored streets. Everything in Tashbaan was the color of the desert, and the homes were decorated with hanging vines and statues and ornaments that were both dazzling and garish. And above all was the glittering dome of the Tisroc's home gleaming in the sunlight.

Eventually, Lucy began to notice that the people crowding the streets were staring at the litter as it went by. She felt suddenly very out-of-place and shrank back behind the curtain, wondering if they would ever arrive. She knew they must be drawing close, for she felt the litter tilt as they began to climb. Tashbaan had been built so that the streets rose higher and higher with the castle at the top. Then finally, finally, the litter stopped, and she felt it being lowered to the ground.

Lucy stretched her muscles gratefully and emerged from the litter. Her escort had followed, and the Narnians seemed as overcome with the wonder of the strange country as she. Only Hyreus remained unchanged, his expression even and unimpressed. Nola had quickly rushed to the queen's side. "Are you well, my lady?" she said worriedly. "You look flushed."

"It's nothing, just the heat, I suppose," she said, and gave the Dwarf a smile. The Narnians were led inside the castle. Lucy kept her eyes focused straight ahead, trying very hard not to stare at the lavishness of the Tisroc's home. She could hear Nola gasping behind her, but the queen squared her shoulders and continued onwards. After walking through a labyrinth of hallways, they were finally delivered to the suite which would be theirs during their stay. There was a large sitting room, with desks and chairs, and chairs with huge cushions, a table for dining, and two large doors that opened onto a terrace. On one side was a little door that led to the queen's private room, and another set of doors on the other side which led to rooms for her party.

There were servants that moved without a single word or a single sound, laying out food and pouring wine and setting the cushions aright. Lucy dismissed them, wishing for some privacy, and bade the Narnians to rest while they could. Then she went into her room and sank into the soft bed. She rolled over to her side, sighing as she stretched her arms under the mountain of pillows. As she looked around her room, so different from her own, there was a very small pang of homesickness. But that was quickly replaced by the excitement of being in a new place and being truly all on her own for such an important mission. Lucy wondered briefly how Peter was feeling as she closed her eyes.

After only a few moments, Lucy felt a hand on her arm, gently shaking. She opened her eyes and realized that she had been asleep. "Your Majesty," came Nola's whisper. "I am terribly sorry for waking you, but an invitation has arrived from the Tisroc to dine with the royal family tonight. I thought that you might need time to prepare."

Lucy sat up and stretched, then smiled as she saw Nola preparing a steaming bath. The Dwarf handed her the invitation before going to fetch some towels, and Lucy read:

_The presence of Her Royal Majesty Queen Lucy of Narnia_

_is requested tonight_

_to dine with His Grace, the Venerable, the Honored, the Revered,_

_the Resplendent Tisroc, Lord of Calormen,_

_by the Grace and Gift of the Inestimable Tash,_

_May He Live Forever_

The queen raised her eyebrows as she read. Although she would never admit it (except perhaps to her brother, King Edmund), hearing all of those adjectives for the Tisroc had the opposite effect than what she was sure was intended. Lucy had a suspicion that if the Tisroc was indeed all of those things, he would not need to say it over and over again in a simple dinner invitation.

Lucy emerged from her room properly washed and readied, and found Hyreus organizing her guard. "If it pleases Your Majesty, I would leave three here to guard the rooms, and the rest to follow you to this dinner," said the Faun.

"Do you really suppose it necessary to guard our suite?" she asked.

"I dare not take any chances, Your Majesty," he answered.

Lucy nodded, and the Narnians made their way to the main dining hall. The hall was huge, with rich fabrics draping the walls and a ceiling that seemed to go up for miles. Every ornament and utensil and cup was dipped in gold and covered in fine jewels. Hyreus gave a quick nod to the guards, who spread themselves about the room as planned, while the Faun stayed at the queen's side. She was happy for the company, for there were many people already in the hall, all of whom were complete strangers to her.

But Lucy need not have feared, for a few minutes later a young man approached, causing Lucy to break into a wide grin. It was the king of Terebinthia, Cirdon, who had been a dear friend of hers for several years. "Your Majesty," he said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. "I cannot express to you how happy I am to see you here."

"And you, my lord," she answered. "It is a comfort to see a friendly face here among so many." The king offered her his arm, and they began to chat about the goings-on of their own countries and asking after each other's families. Eventually Cirdon excused himself for a moment, and as Lucy gazed around the room, her eyes fell on an uncomfortable-looking boy standing on one side. It was Prince Cor, crown prince of Archenland. They caught each other's eyes, and Lucy gave a little wave.

He rushed over to her and gave a quick bow. "Queen Lucy!" he said. "I did not know you had arrived."

"Only this afternoon," she said. "Are you here alone? Where is your father?"

The prince drew himself up as tall as he could. "He is still in Archenland. We were preparing to leave when word came that something awful was lurking in the western mountains, and had moved down as far as Mount Pire. It had killed some animals, and a woman was attacked. Some kind of hag or ghoul or something just as dreadful, I imagine." Here the prince gave a little shudder. "Father decided to stay until everything was sorted out, and sent me ahead. He said that I should know how to do these sorts of things, since I am to be king one day."

Lucy was pleased to see that Cor no longer blushed when he said this. He had certainly come a long way from the servant boy Shasta that had gone to battle with them. There was no more of the skinny, shy boy left in this young man, who stood up straight, was dressed in his finest, and had a confident tone in his voice. "The king is right, of course," she said. "After all, you are older and more experienced than even the High King Peter was when he was crowned." Then leaning in a bit, she went on in a low voice, "I'll tell you something else, too: the High King was supposed to come with me, but he fell ill before we left. So it looks as if you and I will have to stick together, since we are both here on our own."

Prince Cor grinned at the news. "Even better, then, Your Majesty! It is a bit unnerving to be here again, not that it makes much difference now that I know who I really am. And I have been studying quite a bit about these sorts of agreements and things. The tutors and scholars have been really wonderful about going over everything, although I think it is mostly because they are happy to have someone other than Corin to teach. He was an unusual . . . pupil."

Lucy laughed. "Doubtless, dear prince!" A bell rang, signaling the beginning of the meal, and Lucy put out her arm. "Will you be my escort for the evening?"

The prince agreed, and together they walked to the table and took their seats. At the head of the table sat the Tisroc. He was very old and fat, and was dressed in fine silks and more jewels than Lucy had ever seen any one person wear. His turban had a huge red jewel in the center and his fingers were covered in rings. Lucy could not tell if he was as venerable or resplendent as the invitation claimed, but she wondered about the old man that was hiding under all of the ruffles and gold and tassels.

On his right was Rabadash. Lucy recognized him immediately. But unlike the last time she had seen him, he was quiet and reserved, taking in those seated at the table. His eyes rested on Lucy for a moment, causing her to quickly look away. Cor was sitting on one side, and on the other was a Tarkaan who introduced himself. "Rushda Tarkaan, my lady," he said. "And I assume you are the Queen Lucy, of Narnia?"

"Yes," she replied.

The Tarkaan nodded. "I remember your royal sister, when she came to visit our court. You look very much alike. Are you enjoying your stay in Tashbaan?"

"Tashbaan is very remarkable," she answered. "I have never seen anything like it. I am eager to see all that I can."

"Ah, yes. The city must be strange to a young lady such as yourself. Have the poets not written, 'In youth we learn, but in age we understand'?"

Lucy was unsure of how to respond, so she simply nodded. As the food was served, Rushda Tarkaan began talking so much of all the marvels of Tasbaan that Lucy wondered if his position in the court was to encourage visits to the city. Finally, Lucy remembered a question that had been in the back of her mind. "Good Tarkaan, can you please answer a question? Why is there a line of flags surrounding the city?"

Suddenly the Tarkaan's face changed. He quickly looked around to see if anyone had overheard them, and then leaned in to the queen. "I will answer you, Your Majesty, although it is something that is not spoken of openly in Calormen. But I cannot blame you for asking about the strange sight: has it not been said, 'Curiosity has its own reasons for existing'. The reason for the flags is to mark how far the prince may travel. For it is known to many—and doubtless to Your Grace—that the prince may not travel beyond ten miles from the temple. The flags mark that length."

Lucy gave a small "oh" as the Tarkaan sat back and struck up a conversation with a man on his other side. She stole a quick glance towards the prince and found him looking in her direction again. Lucy went back to concentrating on her meal and did not look that way again.

After the meal, Lucy began feeling the full weight of traveling again, and looked around for the Tisroc to thank him and make her excuses so she could go to bed. However, he was nowhere in sight. She wondered for a moment what she should do, and decided that she could not be rude. Lucy went to find Rabadash instead.

He was seated on a couch, speaking to a small group of Tarkaans. She could tell without hearing their words that something was amiss. But she stepped up to the group and cleared her throat. The Tarkaans turned and bowed when they saw her, quickly moving aside. Rabadash simply looked at her.

"Your Highness," she said, taking a step closer, "I wanted to express my thanks to your father for his hospitality, but he seems to have gone. Perhaps you would be so kind as to give him my deepest regards?"

Rabadash looked at her so intently that Lucy could feel her heart beating faster. But she tried her best to remain calm, and smiled at the prince. Finally, Rabadash stood. "Queen Lucy," he said. "We meet again." He looked at the Tarkaans who were still standing around them and said, "Be off with you now! I must speak with the queen." The Tarkaans bowed and left.

Rabadash took her hand and kissed it quickly. "I will certainly give my father your message," he said, inching his face closer to hers. "But I must admit I am surprised to see you here."

"Surprised, my lord?" Lucy answered, pulling her hand away. "You forget, prince, that I am Queen of Narnia. This is my place."

A small smile crept over the prince's face. "And the High King? He did not come with you?"

"No he did not," she said curtly, and left his real question unanswered.

Rabadash gave a "hmph" before replying, "Little surprise there. After all, why should the High King of Narnia—or any King of Narnia—be so troubled with as small a matter of state as this?" Lucy bristled at the comment, but remained silent. Rabadash paused, and then grinned again. "I look forward to meeting with you tomorrow, Queen Lucy. I do hope your stay in this house goes better than your sister's did."

Lucy sucked in her breath and took a step back. She gave a quick nod of the head and then turned on her heel, moving as fast as she could towards the stairs. Hyreus was next to her in a moment. "He dares to insult us like that!" she hissed to the Faun.

"The prince wishes to intimidate you, nothing more, Your Majesty," Hyreus answered. "He would not dare do anything more than try to poison you with his words. After all, what else could he do, given the curse he is under?" Lucy nodded, and they walked in silence together back to their suite. She was comforted a bit with Hyreus' words, and remembered that she was a queen, and could not allow her emotions to get in the way of the business at hand. But Lucy did not notice how Hyreus kept his hand on the hilt of his sword the entire way back.


	3. Problems in Tashbaan

**Chapter Three: Problems in Tashbaan**

As each day in Tashbaan passed, Lucy wished more and more that she could go home, or that one of her siblings was there. Dealing with the trade agreements had proved a harder task than she had originally thought. Her heart felt heavy, thinking of Susan's easy gracefulness, and Peter's confidence, and Edmund's shrewdness. Lucy felt as though any of them would be having an easier time than she.

The meetings were long, and the monarchs only stopped to take meals. There seemed to be so many things to review: port fees, tariffs, trade routes, and rules concerning the amounts and types of things to be traded between the countries. Every country represented had its own agenda, and Lucy was grateful for Protis, who kept notes for her on everything. The queen did not even have time to rest when the negotiations had adjourned for the day, for she spent the better part of each evening reviewing everything, and comparing their decisions to the laws of Narnia and the needs of her people.

Lucy felt more than once that things would have been much simpler if everything did not take so _long_. For every point, each monarch would put forth their own plan, and then the arguments would ensue. Lucy was not unused to arguing with her siblings over decisions to be made for Narnia, but she was unused to making decisions with men who seemed to care about their own agendas over what was best for all. To make things even more complicated, some of the others were also impossibly long-winded, and their points were lost among the speeches. Lucy found herself fighting to stay awake at times, and at others she felt her head pound as she tried to make out what exactly was being said.

The queen found that staying in the Tisroc's home did not help matters, either. The food was strange, the city was noisy, and Lucy longed for the comfortable familiarity of Cair Paravel. She was driven nearly mad at the way the Tarkaans seemed so pleased with themselves and the Tarkheenas seemed so empty-headed. In fact, the only person she had met in the castle that Lucy actually liked was one of the slaves, a young woman named Losha.

The day after she had arrived in Tashbaan, Lucy had tried to offer the servants some food and money for their work. But they shook their heads and backed away, as if they were afraid of her. "It's no use, Your Majesty," said Nola. "They don't even seem to understand kindness!" But Lucy was determined, and when she pressed a small coin purse into one young woman's hand, she had begun crying and howling so loudly that Lucy's guard had come running. Seeing the strange creatures had proven too much for the young girl, who had turn and fled from the room as if her life was dependent on it.

Lucy, bewildered and embarrassed, had turned to the other servants in the room to apologize. But one had stepped forward, bowing, and said, "I am very sorry that she caused such a disturbance, Your Majesty. She was afraid, you see."

One of the others hissed at her. "Losha! You cannot speak!"

"Please, I wish to understand," Lucy said. "Why was she afraid?"

Losha bowed again. "It is a crime for a slave to take anything from a superior, even if it is freely given. She would have been punished for accepting the purse."

Lucy nodded, finally understanding. But she still felt terrible, and found it difficult to concentrate during the meetings that day. There were still so many things about Calormen that were a mystery, even with Aravis' tutoring. So she sent for Losha to return to her suite. "You spoke to me when the others would not," she said to her when she arrived. "I wanted to thank you for your courage."

Losha kept her eyes on the floor. "No need, Your Majesty. You did not understand, and I felt you must know."

"Then I must ask for your courage to hold out a little longer," she said, and Losha looked at her, confused. "I would like for you to stay and talk with me a while, so that I might learn even more about life here in Tashbaan."

Reluctantly, Losha had agreed, and she met with the queen several times. She told her about life at the castle, and her own story of how she came to be a slave, and which of the Tarkaans were cruel and which were kind. Lucy also learned about some of the internal struggles happening within Calormen. It seemed that the most powerful Tarkaans, encouraged by the Grand Vizier, were secretly denouncing Rabadash, criticizing him for his failure in Archenland and displeased with the lack of war now that the prince could not leave the city. Lucy took all of this in, mystified by the differences between Narnia and Calormen, but now understanding the intense whispered conversations that she saw Rabadash often having with his advisors. Lucy was grateful to the servant girl for all the information she would bring, and finally convinced her to smuggle out some of the food and clothes that Lucy wanted to give. Losha thanked the queen again and again, promising to distribute the goods among the other slaves.

Lucy shared all of her news with Hyreus. The Faun did not show any reaction, but Lucy could tell that he was disturbed. "It will be a pleasure to finally leave this place," he said. "Things in Calormen could turn dangerous, if what this girl says is true." Lucy agreed.

A week later, the talks were nearly at an end. The only thing left on the agenda was proving the most difficult topic: security for the traders. Everyone had experienced problems with the dangers of the trading route: pirates, thieves, even wild animals. Being sure that they would be protected was essential to continuing trade between the countries. They debated most of the afternoon over the plan. Calormen, being such a large country, felt that each should provide security for their own traders, while the smaller countries were worried about the cost. The king from Galma suggested that each country patrol its own borders and assure the safe passage of anyone traveling through the waters or land around each country.

This plan was agreed upon by all (except Rabadash, but he was greatly outvoted), and the monarchs worked through the afternoon to establish very clear border lines for the security plan. All seemed set, but then Prince Cor cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him.

"I do not feel comfortable knowing that Archenland will be providing safe passage for ships that hold slaves as their cargo," he said.

There was a heavy silence. Lucy noticed a tinge of color on the prince's cheeks, but his expression remained determined. She may have been the only one present who understood why the prince was making such a statement: for he had been a slave in Calormen for most of his life, before fleeing to Archenland and discovering his true identity.

Rabadash snorted. "The contents of Calormene ships are none of your concern."

Cor sat up a little taller. "It is my concern when Archenland's soldiers are defending those contents." The two princes stared at each other for a long moment before Lucy broke in, "I agree with Prince Cor. I cannot pledge protection from Narnia for traders who treat people as slaves."

There was a burst of murmuring around the table as the other monarchs began to debate the merits of this exception. No one wanted to agree with Rabadash and allow traders to bring slaves under their protection. However, disagreeing with the Calormene prince was dangerous business.

Finally, Rabadash jumped up, bringing his fist down on the table. "Enough of this!" he shouted. "Owning slaves is the right of any Tarkaan in Calormen. You all have servants in your own houses!"

"Those servants are paid for their work, and treated with respect and dignity," King Cirdon of Terebinthia answered evenly.

Rabadash snarled at him. "I will not allow those who do not understand the glory and history of Calormen pass judgment on its practices. Calormen will not consider giving up its right to buy and sell slaves. Besides, it is those slaves who have provided the food and comfort that you have all enjoyed as guests of this house. You wish to be catered to by those owned by the Tisroc (may he live forever), and yet wish to condemn for that ownership?" Lucy was shocked at his words, and as she looked around the table, she saw that the others felt the same. "You have all reaped the benefits of the slave trade this past week. This is no longer open for discussion at this table."

The prince looked smug, but then Prince Cor stood. "His Highness is right, of course," he said. "I am guilty of enjoying the comforts brought by the sorrow of others. Therefore, I willingly take my leave of this house." He turned his back on Rabadash and bowed to the room. "I give my pledge of friendship to Your Majesties." And with that, he left the room.

Chaos erupted in the room. The others had jumped up and began shouting, one or two calling Cor a fool, but most calling for restrictions to be placed on Calormen. King Cirdon and Prince Rabadash were locked in a heavy argument. The advisors around the table were whispering to each other, and several Tarkaans slipped out the door unnoticed.

Lucy sat still at the table, feeling her heart thudding inside her chest. She thought of the terrified servant girl, and Losha, and all she had learned about Calormen. Knowing that Prince Cor had suffered the same fate for so long made her stomach turn. She looked over at Protis, who was frantically trying to record the arguments being flung around the room. Then she turned and looked at Hyreus, standing behind her chair. He inclined his head towards her slightly, waiting for her word.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy slowly stood. "Your Majesties," she said, but no one heard her. "Your Majesties, please!" she shouted. The sound of a female voice caused everyone to pause. "My apologies for shouting," she said. "But please, this arguing will solve nothing. There are many differences for us to overcome, and only a peaceful discussion will allow us—"

"What do you know of it?" Rabadash interrupted sharply. "You are only a woman."

There was a gasp, and several of the men around the room looked ready to draw their swords. Arguing over the trade was one thing, but insulting a queen was another matter. But Lucy simply held up her hand and gazed coolly at Rabadash. "I _am_ a woman, and a queen. And as such, I imagine I can understand more than some, _prince_." His eyes narrowed at her words, and Lucy felt a twinge of satisfaction. "I think it would be best if we ended today early. One must work according to his own conscience, and each should take the evening to examine his own heart. Hopefully, after such reflection, we can resume this discussion in a more agreeable manner."

The queen's words cut through the inflamed mood of the room, and many murmured their agreement. Without waiting for Rabadash's reply, Lucy said a quick good-bye and swept out of the room. "Well done, Your Majesty," said Hyreus, beside her.

Lucy laughed, in part from relief and in part from the memory of Rabadash's face. "I must go and see after Prince Cor," she told him. The Faun nodded and led her to the prince's suite.

The Archenlanders there were glad to see her. She was led into Prince Cor's receiving room, and when the prince emerged, he looked as if he had been crying. "Queen Lucy, I must ask your forgiveness. I acted like—oh, it was awful, wasn't it?" He looked at her with pleading eyes, and Lucy placed a comforting hand on his. She remembered the difficulties of being a young monarch: unsure of the position, unsure of the decisions to be made, but the overwhelming desire to do the right thing. "Were the others shocked?" he asked her in a small voice.

"Actually," she answered with a smile, "the other monarchs began to argue in your favor. It seems that your idea was shared by many, yet you were the only one with the courage to say it aloud."

The prince's shoulders sagged in relief. "I thought I had wrecked everything. I could not imagine returning to my father, and telling him that I had caused another row between Calormen and Archenland."

"What I imagine," answered Lucy, "is that when your father hears of this, he will be more proud of Your Highness than he has ever been."

Lucy spent a bit of time with the prince, and then retired to her own room for some much needed rest. She told the guard to allow no visitors and went to sleep almost immediately.

When she awoke, it was very early. Lucy could see the very first peeks of light coming into her room. She felt the weight of the upcoming day's talks, and decided to use the little time she had now to walk through the quiet castle. There was only a Leopard awake, on duty and laying by the door. "Your Majesty," he purred in greeting, standing and stretching.

"Where is Hyreus?" she asked.

"I know not, Queen Lucy. He left a little while ago, but said he would return shortly. Shall I try to find him?"

"No," she answered. "I'm sure he has good reason. I am going out for a walk myself, before breakfast."

The Leopard flicked his tail. "Allow me to wake one of the other guards, and I can accompany you." Lucy told him not to worry about it, but the Leopard's ears pressed back against his head. "Hyreus said that Your Majesty was not to be alone while we are here."

Lucy laughed. "I'll only be a few minutes. Don't bother waking any of the others. I'll be back before Hyreus." Then she left, the Leopard standing at the door, watching her go nervously.

Normally Lucy would not have refused an escort, but the thought of actually being alone was too tempting. Besides, the castle was silent, and Lucy was sure that no one would notice her. Her footsteps were the only sounds, the only light coming from the torches on the walls, burning low. Lucy was deep in thought as she walked, trying to wrestle with the dilemma of the slave trade. She agreed fully with Cor, and did not want to offer protection for ships that carried slaves. But she suspected that Rabadash would never sign such an agreement, and then their work for the past week would have been in vain. There had to be some compromise that she was missing.

Lucy suddenly realized that she was in a part of the castle she did not recognize. She looked around, and then noticed that there was much more light. She wondered how long she had been walking, lost in thought, and worried briefly that Hyreus would be frantic. Lucy quickly turned and started back the way she had come.

Then another thought struck her. If the sun was so high, it must be mid-morning—but there was still no sound. There were no servants, no sounds from the stables or the courtyard, no Tarkaans walking through the hallways. It was as if all of Tashbaan was still asleep.

The silence, which had been a solace to her before, now made her afraid. She picked up her pace and hurried in the direction she thought her suite must be.

The sound of footsteps made her pause. Finally, someone else was awake, who could show her the correct way! She looked around, but saw no one. Then came another noise behind her, and Lucy turned.

A band of men stood there, all with arrows poised on bows, all aiming at her. A command came from one: "Do not move, if you value your life."

* * *

**A/N:** I hope that no one found this chapter too boring! Now, on to the action, finally:) 


	4. The Queen Captured

**A/N:** So so sorry for the longest wait for an update in history! My life has settled down for a bit, and I am now on a writing frenzy. Please enjoy the new chapter, and thanks for your patience!

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Queen Captured**

"Do not move, if you value your life."

Lucy stood still, the corridor silent once again, except for the pounding of her heart. The small band was made up of Calormenes, surely, for their hair and clothes showed as much. Was Tashbaan under some sort of attack? "What is going on?" Lucy asked.

One of the men lowered his bow and stepped forward. "Who are you? Why are you wandering the castle?"

The cold tone of his voice made Lucy narrow her eyes. She stood as tall as she was able and said in an indignant voice, "I am Queen Lucy of Narnia, and a guest of this house. Now you will declare yourself to me!"

The man flicked his hand at the others, who lowered their arrows a bit. "Queen Lucy, you say?" he asked, his eyes searching her. "What are you doing here? The visitors were shown their leave an hour ago."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy was losing her fear, and was filling up instead with confusion at his words, and irritation at his tone. "I am here by invitation, and have work to do. And you would do well to tell your men to stand down"—and here she glanced over at the others—"before my guard finds you aiming your weapons at me." At this, the men huddled together, having a whispered conversation. Lucy was becoming even more agitated. "Look here," she snapped, "move aside and let me pass. I have an important meeting to attend, and your masters will not be pleased to hear how you have treated their guests."

The leader looked back at her and gave a strange smile. "Our masters are . . . indisposed at the moment." 

One of the other men spoke up, "We should take her with us, and lock her up. She could be a spy."

"No!" said another. "If she is from Narnia, then she is not our enemy. We do not want to anger the barbarians. Send her back to her ship!"

This caused the group to begin muttering at once, and Lucy could hear them arguing to each other: "But the Queen Susan of Narnia came to marry Rabadash—But is this the Queen Lucy who fought him in Archenland?—She could be lying—She's a spy—We must take her with us!"

"Enough," growled the leader. "Take her and bind her hands. But do not hurt her. We'll take her to the Chief."

"What are you doing?" Lucy cried, as two of the men seized her. They easily pulled her hands together as one quickly tied a length of cord around them. "Take your hands off of me! Let go!" She turned to the leader, her eyes wide. "What is happening? Why are you doing this?"

"A thousand pardons, Your Majesty, but I will be asking the questions here." He signaled the others, and they began down the hall at a brisk pace. Two men stood on either side of Lucy, holding her by the arms. "What are you doing? Where are you taking me? I demand an answer!" she shouted. But none were offered.

She was led down hallway after hallway, up and down flights of stairs. Lucy struggled against the two men who held her arms, but they moved her so swiftly that it did little good. She looked around frantically for a sign of Hyreus, for her guard—for anyone!—but no one appeared. Finally, they went down a long staircase, into what Lucy was sure was the very bowels of the castle. 

It was, in fact, the prisoner's keep. Two guards stood there, lazily leaning against the wall and talking to one another. "Another one?" one of them said as the party approached. "Turdan, can you ever remember having such fine prisoners before?"

"Never," Turdan said, and led them to one of the cages. They unbound her hands before pushing her inside one, and before she could try to get away, the door locked behind her. "Let me out, at once!" she cried, but the men just ignored her. She could hear their footsteps as they returned to the entrance of the keep. Lucy held tightly to the bars of the cell, calling for them. Finally, she banged her fist against the bars, and leaned her head against them.

"Queen Lucy?" A voice came from the cell beside hers. Lucy jumped up at the sound. Prince Cor! The light was dim, but there was a small hole in the wall that connected their cages. She pressed her face against it and saw the young prince doing the same on the other side.

"Yes, I'm here," she said to him, relieved to see a familiar face. "Are you all right?"

"I suppose," he whispered back. "Are the other Narnians with you? Did you see any of the Archenlanders?"

"No," she replied. "I was alone when they took me. Do you know what has happened?"

The prince shook his head. "Soldiers arrived at the apartment early this morning, and ordered us to leave immediately. They were letting us go back to our ship on the orders we were to return to Archenland. The guard tried to put up a fight, but there were too many of them. But as we were leaving, one of the Tarkaans recognized me—" and here he swallowed. "I think it was the one who had bought me, before I escaped. They seized me and brought me down here. I don't know what happened to the others in the confusion."

Lucy sat back against the wall, taking in the news. The soldiers who had brought her here had been right: the monarchs visiting Tashbaan had all been escorted to their ships and were long gone. But Lucy was far too confused to panic. What had caused the evacuation? And why was she being held a prisoner?

An hour slipped by as Lucy turned things over in her mind. She thought of the others, and wondered if they had left her there, if they were gone already. Would they make it back safely to Narnia? If they did, surely there would be a rescue coming immediately. If they were still in Tashbaan, she knew that they would be searching for her. Unless, of course, they were imprisoned somewhere as well. 

The sound of raised voices snapped Lucy out of her thoughts. She ran quickly to peer out through the bars, hoping to catch sight of someone, anyone. The voices continued, but then came the sound of footsteps approaching her cell. "We caught a spy," she heard one of the voices say.

"I am no spy!" Lucy exclaimed. "I demand to know what is going on, and to be released at once!"

Finally, the men appeared in view, and Lucy recognized one at once: it was Rushda Tarkaan, whom Lucy had met on her first night in Tashbaan. "Queen Lucy!" he said in a grave tone. He turned to the other men. "This is your spy?"

"She was wandering the hallways, Sir," one answered. "Our orders were to bring any spies back here, so we took her into custody."

"Fools!" Rushda Tarkaan shouted. "Do you not know who this is? She is the sister of the High King of Narnia! Now we will have a barbarian invasion on our hands." He shook his head and turned back to the queen. "I am sorry for their mistake, My Lady. Please forgive them their ignorance."

Lucy glared at the Tarkaan with contempt. "I wish to see the Tisroc at once. He needs to see how his guests are so treated."

"That, my dear Queen, is impossible." Rushda Tarkaan smiled. "The Tisroc is no longer in power here. We have relieved him of his duties as ruler of Calormen."

Lucy gasped. She remembered what Losha had told her of the displeasure the Tarkaans had for Calormen's state of affairs, but this? This she would never have believed. "And the Prince Rabadash? Where is he?" The news had Lucy's head spinning.

"In the stocks, where he belongs." The Tarkaan's voice was cold. "Now, I will have an escort take you directly to your ship. But then you must leave, and go straight back to Narnia."

One of the other men interrupted, "Sir, wouldn't it be best to keep her here, and use her to trade with the High King? Surely he would do anything for the queen's safe return. We can use her to gain advantage over our enemies."

Lucy swallowed, fighting the fear that was rising in her mind. "Narnia is not the enemy of Calormen. And I would rather die than allow you to use me as a bargaining tool against my brother." Rusda Tarkaan narrowed his eyes, but Lucy continued, "And what of Prince Cor? You have no right to keep him here, either. The king of Archenland will be furious when he discovers you have taken his son!"

The man snorted. "This boy is a runaway slave. He is being held until he can be brought to justice."

Lucy gasped. "How dare you! He is the Crown Prince—"

"He is a slave who has run from his master. Therefore, his master will decide his fate. Now allow us to take you to your ship, and you will be free to go."

"No!" Lucy exclaimed. "I will not leave without him."

Rushda Tarkaan regarded her a moment, and then smiled. "You may believe you are very brave, young queen, but you are far more foolish." Lucy began to give an angry retort, but the Tarkaan had already turned away from her and was giving more orders. "Keep her here, but see that she is well-looked after. And find the other Narnians. We do not want an unnecessary battle now that things are falling into place, however futile it would be for them." Without another glance, he left.

Lucy shouted after them, clutching the bars, but no one answered. When her throat began to finally throb, she slid down the wall, sitting in a very un-queenlike heap. Lucy heaved a sigh. She thought of Hyreus, wondering again where he was. Lucy prayed to Aslan that he and the other Narnians had gotten safely away. 

She thought about what would happen if they returned to Narnia without her. _No, _she said to herself, _Hyreus would never leave me behind_. But what if he had no choice? How could he and six Narnian soldiers stand up to the Calormene army? 

Then a new fear came to mind: what would the High King do when he heard of her imprisonment? And Edmund? She knew that her brothers would be beside themselves, and rush to her aid at once. But how could Narnia possibly hope to storm Tashbaan? She thought of the soldiers, the innocent Narnians, who would most likely risk their lives to save her. Then she thought of Susan. How terrible it would be for her! She could just see her sister, distraught over their safety, worrying the way she always did when Narnia faced a great danger. And Susan had warned her, told her not to go alone. Lucy had been convinced she could handle the mission on her own. And here she was, in need of rescuing.

Lucy hugged herself tightly. She willed herself not to cry. She felt suddenly, totally, alone.

But she was not alone at all. "Queen Lucy?" Cor's voice was small and shaking. Lucy wiped her eyes and turned towards the sound. "I'm here," she called back.

"They aren't going to let us go, are they?"

"Try not to worry," she answered. "I won't leave you. I promise." _I must be strong for Cor_, she thought to herself. And with that in her mind, Lucy began to form a plan.


End file.
